Paul Franklin Was Nominated 33 Times for a CMA Award. #33 Was The Charm
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What do these silly awards mean? Should we devalue music into a competition? These are fair questions. But for Paul Franklin, the win has to be especially sweet, perhaps more sweeter than anyone…
The Interesting Case of Toby Keith’s New Song “Old School”
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Normally a new single from a mainstream dude who hasn’t landed a Top 10 hit in over a decade wouldn’t necessarily be worth discussing, at least around this water cooler. But Toby Keith’s new song “Old School” is a very interesting case for a host of reasons.
Album Review – Vincent Neil Emerson (Self-Titled)
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This new album is a combination of simple compositions that convey sweet little vignettes from Texas life, and deep reverberative works and leave one shaken to the core from the impact of their stories. This combination makes Vincent Neil Emerson easy to warm to, but lasting in effect.
The Best Country & Roots Songs of 2021 So Far
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The places a song can take you, the realizations a song can impart, this is the reason we cherish music so much, and we cherish songs specifically as the kernel root of all musical experiences that we remember forever. These are the best country and roots songs of 2021 so far.
Song Review – Jason Eady’s “French Summer Sun”
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If there was a songwriter out there with the acumen and muster to bust through all the bleeding-heart platitudes and overwrought sentimentally that makes so many of these songs immediately disposable, it would be Jason Eady. That’s what he does with “French Summer Sun.”
Album Review – Hannah Juanita’s “Hardliner”
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Throwing it all the way back to the era when you had no choice but to be good if you wanted to make country music, Hannah Juanita turns in this classic country record of eleven original songs backed by some superior musicianship that works like manna for those old souls out there.
Why Carly Pearce is a Quality Pick for the Grand Ole Opry
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when it comes to the Opry picking its next contemporary member—meaning not someone past their commercial prime that could instill a little youth and vigor into the institution—there’s just about no better pick than Carly Pearce. Only fitting that Dolly Parton was the one to dole out the invitation.
How George Jones Inspired Blackberry Smoke’s “Lonesome for a Livin'”
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A lot of folks are raving about Blackberry Smoke’s latest album You Hear Georgia as possibly on the the best in their catalog, and maybe one of the best so far in 2021. One of the songs that’s really resonating with folks is the song “Lonesome for a Livin'” featuring Jamey Johnson.
Tyler Childers Announces Two New Red Rocks Shows
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On Monday (6-21), Tyler Childers celebrated three decades on this mortal coil as the birthday boy of June 21st, 1991. But it was him doling out the gifts, not receiving them. It started by Childers sharing a remastered live stream of his 2019 Red Rocks performance.
Colter Wall Drops a Ton of New 2021 Tour Dates
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Even without a big label or major radio play, Colter Wall continues to swell in prestige and popularity. You want to be on top of these tour dates, because they’re likely to sell out. Though the tour announcement did not include venues, yours truly tediously tracked many of them.
There Will Be No Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic in 2021, but…
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One of the most iconic and longest-lasting traditions in country music will be taking a second year off: Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic. But Willie Nelson has plotted his return to live music with a select run of shows, and the Outlaw Music Festival Tour.
The Wilder Blue Surprise with Two New Songs
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They were previously called Hill Country. Now they’re called The Wilder Blue. But whatever you call them, most folks lending them an ear call them damn good music. They’ve earned many fans since releasing their self-titled album in 2020 from the country.
Randy Travis Versus Lib Hatcher (Country History X)
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For his Hall of Fame career, Randy Travis’s ace-in-the-hole behind-the-scenes was his manager, his biggest believer, his staunchest champion, his eventual wife, and eventually, his biggest and most catastrophic adversary, Elizabeth “Lib” Hatcher. This is their story.